Cloud computing or processing via “the cloud,” represents the delivery of on-demand computing resources over a network configuration such as the internet on a pay-for-use basis. Cloud computing is typically implemented via one or more data centers. A data center is a centralized location rendered with computing resources and crucial telecommunications, including servers, storage systems, databases, devices, access networks, software and applications. With the explosive growth of information technology (IT) and applications requiring heightened security, reliability, and efficient and fast processing times, data centers are increasing worldwide in both size and number. Over 8.6 million data centers are estimated worldwide, with such numbers expected to double every few years. Current projections of the cost to power these data centers is approximately $60 billion per year, amounting to about 8% of current global electricity production. Hyperscale data centers which house such massive computing infrastructures not only consume massive amounts of energy but also discharge significant pollutants into the atmosphere each year, including but not limited to hundreds of millions of tons of carbon dioxide (CO2). Additional problems associated with hyperscale data centers include thermal heating and cooling requirements for ensuring proper device and system operations, increased capital costs and expenditures for diesel generators, battery backups, power conversion, cooling, and the like. Further still, size and processing limitations associated with semiconductor (e.g. silicon) electronic elements or devices, and the need for enhanced processing speed and concomitant increase in utilization of and cost for electricity contribute to the need for new technical solutions.
Networked storage systems and remote computing systems can be included in high-density installations, such as rack-mounted environments. However, as the densities of networked storage systems and remote computing systems increase, various physical limitations are being reached. These limitations include density limitations based on the underlying storage technology as well as computing density limitations based on the various physical space requirements for network interconnects, in addition to significant space requirements for environmental climate control systems.
In addition to the above, these bulk storage systems traditionally have been limited in the number of devices that can be included per host. This can be problematic in storage environments where higher capacity, redundancy, and reliability are desired. These shortcomings may be especially pronounced with the increasing data storage and retrieval needs in networked, cloud, and enterprise environments. Still further, power dissipation in a switch is directly proportional to the number of switch hops needed to traverse integrated circuit devices (and serializers/deserializers or SERDES) for transferring data packets from a source or ingress port of a network connected first peripheral device, to a destination or egress port of a network connected second peripheral device. Thus, power requirements and power usage/consumption within network data packet switches represent significant technological as well as environmental challenges.
Alternative systems, devices, architectures, apparatuses, and methods for overcoming one or more of the above identified shortcomings is desired.